Horcrux

The moment his words fell, the ball of silver energy coiled around their clasped hands like a living thing, forming a complex and exquisite silver rune that was deeply branded into their palms. Then, the light receded, vanishing without a trace.

A burning sensation flashed and passed, as if some kind of connection had been established.

"Very good." Selene withdrew her hand with satisfaction, her smile as bright as ever, but with a hint of seriousness in her eyes. "Now, we can talk about that secret."

"The prophecy states," she lowered her voice, even with the soundproofing enchantment, "that the Dark Lord's relic, which holds the secret of 'Transcending Death,' is currently hidden within Hogwarts Castle."

Lin Du's heart jolted, but he maintained his composure on the surface. "'Transcending Death'? What specific relic is it? And where does the prophecy come from?"

"A prophecy that came at a great cost." Selene's fingertips lightly brushed across the table, a flicker of pain flashing in her eyes. "From the 'Witch Priests' of Wagadu."

"Wagadu?" Lin Du raised an eyebrow. "You went to find those 'mad Witch Priests'?"

He knew very well the price required for such prophecies, and their accuracy was... frankly, questionable.

"What I asked the Witch Priests to divine was precisely the potential direction of the 'secret of Transcending Death'." Selene confessed. "This is the answer they gave—it's related to the Dark Lord's most core secret, extremely evil, and it's in Hogwarts right now. The prophecy didn't reveal what the specific relic is."

Lin Du frowned slightly; the information was still too vague.

"If that's the case, why don't you investigate it yourself?"

"Dumbledore is guarding Hogwarts." Selene's answer was simple, with a hint of obvious apprehension.

"You're afraid of him?" Lin Du asked deliberately.

Selene let out a string of bell-like laughter, but there was little warmth in it. "My dear Lin, not everyone is like you, daring to... pursue those dangerous little hobbies under Dumbledore's nose. Caution is the secret to longevity, especially for races like ours with long lifespans."

Lin Du raised an eyebrow irritably at her words. "Allow me to correct you, my research has a clear agreement with Dumbledore. A Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts researching Dark Magic—it's perfectly reasonable, isn't it? I have official 'permission'."

He picked up his wine glass and took a sip, continuing, "However, since you've come specifically to me and taken an oath... I will pay more attention during my teaching. But I must state: I will not proactively, adventurously search for it. If I do discover anything, the extent to which I share the information must be within what I deem safe. After all, on Dumbledore's turf, we all have to abide by certain basic rules."

Selene appraised him, finally nodding. "Agreed. I just need a chance to enter the 'game' and a fair opportunity to share. I look forward to your good news, Lin."

"Pleasure working with you." Lin Du said calmly.

Lin Du walked out of The Hog's Head and took a deep breath of the cool night air.

You really can't underestimate anyone.

Even a Veela doing black market business dares to eye the Dark Lord's legacy. Is he, a legitimate professor, being too law-abiding?

But on second thought, his pursuit was the truth of magic, not on the same level as those power-hungry dark wizards.

"So, the 'secret of Transcending Death'?" Chao Feng's voice directly echoed in his mind—the guy had been invisibly perched on his shoulder the whole time.

"That Miss Veela sure knows how to give you trouble."

"Whether it's big trouble depends on how it's handled," Lin Du replied in his mind. "She said the prophecy points to Hogwarts."

"Transcending Death?" Chao Feng's tone carried obvious disdain. "Sounds like something those death-obsessed dark wizards came up with. With Voldemort's character..."

The words didn't need to be finished; the same word popped into both their minds simultaneously:

"Horcrux."

The moment the word was uttered, the air seemed to turn a few degrees colder.

Having studied Dark Magic for so many years, they knew with their toes that if Voldemort wanted to be immortal, there was no other way than Horcruxes.

Hiding fragments within specific objects—that was the most evil, and the most "classic," delusion of eternal life.

"Truly degenerate," Chao Feng commented, his voice laced with disgust.

"Those who toy with souls will ultimately be consumed by them. That thing itself is the most venomous curse carrier, and the protective magic entwined around it is probably more complex and lethal than the locks on Gringotts' deepest vault."

Lin Du stopped by the roadside, gazing at the distant castle and sighing:

"Isn't that the truth. Horcruxes are incredibly sinister. Voldemort must have placed many malicious protective spells on them. To actively touch them? It's no different from sticking your hand into a snake's nest."

He studied Dark Magic to understand its principles, always with good protection.

But Horcruxes were different; they were the most frenzied, chaotic manifestations of Dark Magic, and the curses upon them were often unpredictable and impossible to guard against.

Researching Fiendfyre with Dumbledore's tacit approval was already walking a tightrope. To proactively search for and touch Voldemort's Horcruxes would be to challenge the old man's bottom line and his own chances of survival.

"What about the oath we just made?" Chao Feng reminded him.

"The oath said 'if I discover it'," Lin Du shrugged nonchalantly. "It doesn't force me to search. As long as I don't actively look, I'm not breaking the oath. Hogwarts is so big, it's easy to find an excuse and say I didn't encounter it."

He continued walking towards the castle. "Researching Dark Magic under Dumbledore is already pushing it. Actively looking for Horcruxes? I don't want to be kicked out of Hogwarts tomorrow."

He was certain that when it came to Horcruxes, Dumbledore would not be unaware and would have made arrangements.

That seemingly kind old man was the true master of this castle.

"Fine," Chao Feng shifted into a more comfortable position on his shoulder. "Then this year, we'll just grab a small stool and watch the show."

Lin Du nodded. The appearance of Horcruxes would surely cause trouble, but he was determined not to get involved.

Self-preservation, it's nothing to be ashamed of.